The Karaoke Conumdrum
by notjaneausten
Summary: Sheldon is worried when Amy starts breaking their dates to spend time apart, he thinks the worse when he finds out that she's been spending a lot of time with Howard...and that the rest of the gang don't appeared to be worried. Does this Doctor need to get his Texan on? Disclaimer: All characters remain the property of Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady...and are deliberately OOC!


"Sheldon Cooper? I'm Amy Farrah Fowler." Who would have thought that with those six little words Sheldon Cooper's micromanaged world would have tilted on its axis? He turned away from his friends to address the quiet, feminine voice coming from behind him, and as soon as he saw her emerald eyes sparkling behind her thick framed black glasses, Sheldon knew that he would never feel the same again. Theirs was an unconventional relationship to the rest of their small group of friends, for the year that they'd known each other they hadn't even classed themselves as being in an actual relationship. All that changed when Amy started to date Stuart from the comic book store and Sheldon knew the true feelings that he felt for his emerald vixen were about to be snatched out of his grasp.

He'd asked her to be his 'proper' girlfriend by gate crashing on of her dates with Stuart, but it had been another two years before they had shared their first tentative kiss…and it had only left Sheldon aching for more; only now it was Amy that was holding herself back. He'd tried the arm stretch manoeuvre at the movies but Amy had dodged out of the way before his arm could make its target when she leant down to extract a tissue from her purse on the floor. Sheldon had even re-written their new Relationship Agreement to include hand holding and the booboo and ouchies clause…but so far Amy had resisted all of his attempts to take their relationship up to the next was now sitting in his spot on the couch in the apartment he shared with his roommate, Leonard and wondering when his life became so complicated.

"What's with the sighing, Sheldon?" Leonard heard yet another heavy sigh coming over from the couch and spun around on his chair to look at the lanky man sprawled out on the couch. "Amy called off another date night? What's that three in a row now?"

"I guess…I haven't really been keeping count…She mentioned something about hanging out with Bernadette and Wolowitz tonight."

"I saw Bernadette earlier over at Penny's and well, Amy wasn't with them…" Leonard picked at his nail and glanced up to see how Sheldon reacted to the news.

"I see…It seems that we have two traitors in our midst then, Leonard. Amy and Wolowitz are clearly involved in some tawdry affair; I guess this explains why she was so reluctant to engage in coitus with me…she was already having it with Wolowitz!" Sheldon stormed out of the apartment and was pounding on Penny's apartment door with his clenched fist. "Penny! Penny! Penny! I need to speak with Bernadette immediately!"

"What's up, rubber duck?" Penny chirped as she pulled open the door and caught Leonard shaking his head frantically from behind Sheldon's head. "Ah…Moon-Pie, come on in and take a seat."

"Don't call me that, only my Meemaw is allowed to call me that." Sheldon grumbled as he allowed himself to be lead into Penny's apartment and forced down onto the couch. Bernadette came out of Penny's bathroom and raised her brow at Penny when she saw Sheldon sitting in the aqua couch.

"Hi there, Sheldon!" Bernadette squeaked out in her high pitched voice and saw Leonard and Penny exchanging a hushed conversation over by the door. Her face dropped as she realised that Sheldon had rumbled the secret that they had been keeping from him for the last couple of months…Howard and Amy were out on the town, together. It had started about a year ago during a failed scavenger hunt organised by Raj; they had been split into pairs, but had not been allowed to work in their couples. Penny had been paired with Sheldon, Amy was with Howard and Bernadette got stuck with Leonard. Two of the teams made it back to the apartment but the team of Amy and Howard didn't make it back until the early hours of the morning…it turned out that they had bonded over their shared love of Neil Diamond and had ditched the scavenger hunt to cruise the Karaoke bars of downtown Pasadena instead. It had become a regular thing between the two of them ever since; both sneaking away to perform in seedy bars all over the place, and even entering into some of the competitions together. That was were the two of them were now, performing as a duo in a state wide completion down near Hollywood; and to be honest, it gave Bernadette a rest from listening to Howard's caterwauling in the apartment every week; he saved his voice for when he was with Amy… and it gave Amy a rest from Sheldon's not so subtle nudges that he'd like to take their relationship further.

"I guess the gig's up now then and it's time to come clean to Sheldon." Bernadette sat down next to Sheldon on the couch and Penny left Leonard to sit on the chair by the breakfast counter.

"No need, I already know what's been going on behind my back. Although, I must say Bernadette, you're taking the news that your husband is a low down polecat philanderer remarkably well."

"You wanna run that past me again?" Penny sat up in the chair as Bernadette started smacking Sheldon on the arm for implying that her sweet little Howie would do such a thing.

"Sheldon! How could you say such a horrible thing? That you'd even think something like that could happen between my Howie and Amy…it only shows that you obviously don't know either of them at all." Bernadette was nearly screeching now as she continued to pummel Sheldon with her clenched fists.

"Would somebody mind telling me what the heck is goin' on then? Amy spends more time with Howard than she does with me, she's suddenly not interested in an intimate relationship any longer – what am I supposed to think?" Sheldon held out his arms to prevent Bernadette from hitting him any longer; his Texan twang deepening with the force of his emotions.

"Sweetie…Amy and Howard are just singing together that's all. Ever since the scavenger hunt they've made a regular thing of playing the karaoke circuits; didn't you ever wonder why Amy didn't want to change your date nights to a Wednesday when you suggested it? That's because Wednesday is their practise night…" Penny stood up from the chair and reached over to try and calm Sheldon down.

"She never told me…why would she keep something like that a secret? We have our sing a long nights together and she's always enjoyed them; but she never mentioned that she was doing it with Howard as well. Didn't she think that I would support her?" Sheldon looked completely miserable as he faced the fact that Amy was drifting away from him and he had no idea how to bring her and Bernadette moved closer on the couch until they were almost touching his shoulder.

"Sweetie…she probably just thought that you wouldn't understand, she and Howard have found something that they have in common; just like you and Leonard team up when you play Halo, he and Amy team up to sing Karaoke and that's all there is." Penny hugged Sheldon and he allowed the brief contact before he pulled away. The only arms he wanted around him were Amy's and it seemed an impossibility.

"Sheldon, would it easier to deal with if you saw them together? I know where they are performing tonight, we can slip in the back and watch for a while…they won't even know we've been there." Bernadette pulled her phone out of her bag and checked the programme of events that Howard had programmed into her calendar. "They're at the surf shack on Freemont Street; the open mic event starts at nine."

"Would you take me down there for a little while? I won't cause any trouble, I'd just like to see Amy perform, it sounds like she really enjoys it and I'd like to see her happy." Sheldon looked over at Bernadette who smiled softly at him.

"Of course, I will. Come on, if we leave now we can be there for the start…" Bernadette jumped up from the sofa and held out her hand to Sheldon. "It will be fun, and no, I won't make you have a drink. Penny, Leonard – are you coming along for the ride?"

"No, I don't think so." Leonard started to refuse, but when he saw how excited Penny was at seeing her bestie up on stage he quickly changed his statement. "Sure, it sounds great." He forced a smile to his face and the four of them headed down the stairs to pile into Bernadette's car. They drove a few miles downtown and had to circle the block a few times before they found a parking they reached The Surf Shack the entry line was snaking around the corner, but when the doorman saw Bernadette coming he unclipped the barrier to let them through.

"Hey, it's my sweet Bernadette! When are you going to get up on stage with your little Rocketman again?"

"Oh, Richie that was a one-time deal and you know it! A little too much wine on an empty stomach makes me do all sort of craaazy things." Bernadette giggled as she gave Richie a big hug and waved the others over to join her. "Richie, these are my friends Penny and Leonard; and the tall lanky guy is Amy's boyfriend…"

"Oh, Sheldon right? Yeah, she's mentioned her man a couple of times…says you're pretty good on the Theremin…ever fancy giving open mic night a go yourself?" One look at Sheldon's look of stark terror had Richie letting out a loud guffaw of laughter and patting him on the shoulder. "I'm just yanking your chain, sunshine. Go on in and take a seat… your little lady is just finishing up her warm up and then they're both up next." The foursome slipped into the dark interior of the bar and found a booth where they could see the stage but the spotlight would block their faces from Amy and Howard.

"Sshh…that's Amy finishing off on stage right now." Bernadette hissed as they sat in their booth and turned their head up to the stage. Amy was crooning to an old Patsy Cline song and Sheldon tilted his head as he closed his eyes and let music drift over him.

'_Don't leave me in a world filled with dreams that might have been_

_Hurt me now, get it over_

_ I may learn to love again_

_If there's a new love in your heart_

_Tell me now, get it over_

_Hurt me now, get it over_

_If there's a new love in your heart_

_Hurt me now, get it over_

_If there's a new love in your heart'_

Amy finished to a round of thunderous applause, and the sound jerked Sheldon out of his daze; her smooth voice had rolled over him like melted chocolate and he could see why everyone loved to hear her sing.

"She was utterly breath taking…" Sheldon murmured as he watched Amy accept her applause with a little curtsy and wave before she left the stage to take a sip of compare walked over to the microphone and waved his hand to get the crowd's attention.

"Okay, okay…settle down. Back by popular demand, and first up tonight is…yup, you guessed it…it's that magical pairing of Wolowitz and Fowler!"

Amy and Howard stepped back on stage, they didn't dress up in anything fancy for their performances; both choosing to wear black turtlenecks and dark pants. They sat down on matching stools and turned to face each other as a slow melody began to fill the room.

"Ooh, I love this song!" Bernadette let out a loud wolf whistle and Sheldon winced as the sound reverberated through his sensitive eardrums.

"I know this one, Howard tried to serenade me on the first night we all hit the town together!" Penny started humming along with the introduction as Howard reached over to take Amy's hand on stage.

_'Girl, you're gettin' that look in your eyes and it's startin' to worry me,_

_I ain't ready for no family ties; nobody's gonna hurry me_

_Just keep it friendly, girl, 'cause I donna wanna leave_

_Don't start clingin' to me girl, 'cause I can't breathe'_

Howard actually sounded very suave as he sang to Amy, and Sheldon didn't like the way he was softly stroking her hand while they sang. Amy took a breath as she joined in on the chorus.

_'Baby, baby don't get hooked on me_

_Baby, baby don't get hooked on me_

_'Cause I'll just use you then I'll set you free_

_Baby, baby don't get hooked on me'_

Their voices blended seamlessly together and from the roars coming from the audience right in front of the stage, it appeared that they had sung this song together on many an occasion. Sheldon's face began to develop a slight twitch under his eye and he started to listen a little closer to the lyrics…maybe it would give him an idea of what Amy was feeling as it appeared that she was enjoying herself immensely without him by her side.

_'Girl, you're a hot blooded woman-child and it's warm where you're touching me_

_But I can tell by your tremblin' smile, you're seeing way too much of me_

_Girl, don't let your life get tangled up with mine_

_'Cause I'll just leave you, I can't take no clingin' vine'_

There were whoops and catcalls from the audience as Howard leant a little closer to Amy as he sang the suggestive lyrics, and Sheldon didn't see Amy moving away like she did whenever he leant toward her. Sheldon was beginning to think that she was doing more than just singing with Howard, and he didn't like it one little bit.

_'Baby, baby don't get hooked on me_

_Baby, baby don't get hooked on me_

_'Cause I'll just use you, then I'll set you free_

_Baby, baby, don't get hooked on me_

_Baby, baby, don't get hooked on me…'_

Leonard looked over to see Sheldon shuffling out of the booth and hurrying out of the door; he murmured to Penny that he was going to check on him and she waved him away as she and Bernadette carried on cheering Amy on and joining in with the last chorus.

Leonard opened the back door to the bar and saw Sheldon's hunched shoulders walking off in the distance. He jogged down the sidewalk to catch him up.

"Sheldon, what's wrong man? Didn't you like it?"

"Like it? Leonard, Amy was sublime and it has become very clear to me that she no longer wishes to be pair bonded with me. She was obviously singing from the heart tonight and I can only do the right thing and step aside."

"Sheldon, it was just a song! Don't take everything to heart!" Leonard sighed and placed his hand on Sheldon's arm trying to make him see reason.

"A song that was carefully chosen to show me that I have to let her go…it's what she wants and I've been too caught up in my own foolish emotions to see that she doesn't feel the same way about me." Sheldon tugged his sleeve out of Leonard's grasp and started walking again. "Please don't follow me, I'd like to be alone for a little while. I'll see you at home later."

"Okay buddy, take care…I still think you're wrong though…" Leonard called out and Sheldon turned his head, showing Leonard that Sheldon was truly heartbroken at the thought of losing his first love.

"I'm right on this one, Leonard. I wish I wasn't but I am." Sheldon blinked hard to clear the misty tears forming in his eyes and continued walking, head bent low to hide his despair. Leonard watched his retreating figure grow smaller and smaller as he walked off into the dark night, and then turned to head back into the bar to tell everyone that Sheldon was convinced that Amy was about to break up with him for good.

"I can't believe Sheldon would take everything so literally! That guy is definitely a whack-a-doodle!" Penny groused as they slipped out of the bar before Howard and Amy knew that they'd been part of their cheering section. They walked slowly back to Bernadette's car, each stuck in their own thoughts.

"Do you want me to drive around a little, see if we can spot Sheldon?" Bernadette got behind the wheel and looked in the mirror to ask Leonard.  
"No, he made it quite clear that he wanted to be alone. I feel sorry for the guy, he finally makes up his mind that Amy's the one for him and now it's her that's got cold 's been withdrawing more and more from him ever since she started this whole Karaoke thing up with Howard, I know she's enjoying herself and she's really good; but it's like she can't see how this is killing Sheldon."

"Yeah, it's a shame he didn't catch them doing their Neil Diamond act…they really rev the crowd up, it was as though he couldn't see it was a performance." Bernadette checked the mirrors as she pulled out of the parking space and headed back to Los Robles. "I've actually heard Sheldon sing a time or two, and he's pretty good himself."

"Yeah well, maybe he needs to join them to make it a trio act…" Penny muttered sarcastically and Leonard looked at her with a gleam in his eye.

"Maybe that's not such a wacky idea as you may think…We need to get Sheldon to show Amy how he's feeling; she's never around – so we need to persuade Sheldon to make an appearance at one of these open mic night thingies and make sure that Amy hears him."

"Holy crap on a cracker, Leonard! Are you out of your ever loving mind? Sheldon would never lower his standards enough to do that…No, he'd never do it." Penny twisted in her seat to stare at her boyfriend, who was sitting back in his seat grinning like a lunatic.

"I bet he would…if he thinks it's his only chance to win Amy back, I bet he'd be willing to try anything."

"I'll take that bet." Bernadette piped up from the front seat. "I'll put twenty down that says not only Sheldon will willingly get up on stage to sing in front of an audience, but that he make such a performance that they'll be begging him to do it again."

"You are both certifiably insane." Penny stated and crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm telling you that Sheldon won't do it."

"Yes, he will. Now, do we have a bet or what? Bernadette's in for twenty, I'll take two appearances in a couple's costume of my choice…what say you?" Leonard matched Penny's pose in the backseat and she sighed heavily.

"Okay, but you have to make him know that it wasn't my idea…" Penny finally agreed and Leonard grinned; knowing that Sheldon was desperate enough to try anything if it meant keeping Amy in his life.

Leonard and Bernadette presented Sheldon with their idea when he finally made it back to the apartment a few hours later. He initially dismissed the idea as pure hogwash and refused to speak on the matter any further; but after Amy broke yet another date night for more practise with Howard, Sheldon finally broke and begged Bernadette and Penny to help him.

They argued about his song choice for days on end, but when Leonard caught him practising in the shower one morning he told the girls that Sheldon's choice was perfect and that they should leave him be. Bernadette printed out a schedule of Amy and Howard's performances leading up to a big competition the following month. Penny drove him around the Karaoke circuit where he entered into the preliminaries under a pseudonym, making sure that he was appearing on the opposite side of town to wherever Howard and Amy were singing.

It was finally the night of the big competition and Penny snuck Sheldon in the back entrance just as Amy and Howard were starting their performance of their most requested number. Sheldon had amazed them all by coming top in all of the local heats and now he was facing the biggest challenge of his life…appearing on stage in front of his girlfriend. Penny left him hiding in the wings as she nipped around front to join Leonard, Raj, Stuart and Bernadette. After they finished singing, Amy hopped off stage and squealed as she saw the four of them sitting on a table near the side of the stage.

"Bestie!"

"Hey, Ames…you and Howard were really great tonight."

"I know! We really knocked their socks off…I'm just glad we went for the Neil Diamond tribute rather than anything too mushy; this crowd is kinda tough on the ballads. I think there's only one more performer to come, I've heard it's a new guy to the circuit, but from what I heard backstage he's kinda shy…" Amy sat down in between Penny and Raj and looked over to where Howard had come over with Bernadette. "And here's my partner in crime now."

"Hey everyone, thanks for coming tonight. Did you catch the whole act?"

"Sure did, buddy. You two were really great!" Leonard leant over to pat Howard on the shoulder and the smaller man grinned back as he rubbed his hands together.

"Yeah, I think we stand a real good chance of winning this thing tonight. I hear the new guy's shaking in his boots back stage…poor sap."

"Howard…that wasn't very nice, I remember you were exactly the same the first time you and Amy went into your first competition. Do I need to remind you what you said to me before you went on?" Bernadette narrowed her eyes at her husband who seemed to shrink in his chair as he lowered his eyes in apology.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we're almost at the end of the competition tonight." The compare stepped up to the mic and grinned as there were loud choruses of hisses and boo's. "Settle down, I said 'nearly'; we've got one final act for you tonight…treat him gently folks, it's his first big event and he's a little nervous…" A chorus of 'ahhs' filled the room and the compare checked his notes again, "Let's give a big hand for…'The Doctor'…" The compare led a round of applause and the lights dimmed on the stage as a tall figure stepped out to take a seat on a stool and picked up a guitar. Strangely, there was no spotlight, but no one seemed to mind as his lean fingers started to pluck out a soulful melody on the guitar and his deep gravelly voice filled the shadowed room.

_'If I had one single wish, I'd go back to the moment I kissed_

_You goodbye, no matter how hard I try,_

_I can't live without you in my life_

_Maybe you'll say you still want me _

_Maybe you'll say that you don't_

_Maybe we said it was over_

_Baby, I can't let you go'_

"He's really good, there's something familiar about him that I can't quite put my finger on. I could listen to his voice all day, it's so smooth." Amy leant her chin in her hands as she stared dreamily up onto the stage, where the figure was still cloaked in darkness.

"Ames…you're not supposed to be supporting the competition!" Howard nudged her shoulder and received a kick under the table from his wife, which had Raj and Stuart looking over in surprise. They hadn't been clued in on the whole secret identity thing and had no idea who it was on stage.

"I agree with Amy, there is something very familiar about that voice…it will come to me in a minute I'm sure." Raj tilted his head to one side as he continued to try and make out more details in the darkness. "It's a pity he was too shy to have a spotlight, his voice sounds very dreamy…it would be a shame if his face didn't match up."

"Who cares what his face looks like, we're here to listen…now shut up and do just that!" Penny hushed everyone, as the man on stage continued to sing his soft ballad.

_'I walk around try to understand where we were wrong and I can't pretend_

_It wasn't me, it wasn't you_

_But I'm convinced we gave up too soon._

_Maybe you'll say you still want me_

_Maybe you'll say that you don't_

_Maybe we said it was over_

_Baby, I can't let you go'_

The man on stage nodded over to the technician and a spotlight suddenly flicked on to reveal his identity to the audience for the first time. His friends gasped at the sight of him decked out in black jeans, his white Stetson and boots and wearing a plain white shirt. Sheldon walked over to the edge of the stage and stared directly at Amy as he sang the last verse and chorus directly to her.

_'Nothing left to lose after losing you, there's nothing I can take_

_When I run to you, when I come to you_

_Don't tell me I'm too late…'_

There were cheers from the audience as Sheldon reached down to offer a single red rose to Amy with one hand and held out the other to her. She reached out to take his empty hand as he pulled her up on stage with him and sat her on the stool as he knelt at her feet. They stared deeply into each other's eyes as they sang the final verse together.

'_Maybe you'll say you still w_ant me

_Maybe you'll say that you don't_

_Maybe we said it was over_

_Baby, I can't let you go_

_(Maybe you'll say you still want me)_  
_(Maybe you'll say that you don't)_  
_(Maybe we say it was over)_  
_Can't let you go_  
_(Baby I can't let you go)_  
_Can't let you go_  
_(Maybe we said it was over)_  
_Can't let you go_  
_(Baby I can't let you go)_  
_Can't let you go'_

Sheldon ended the song by swooping Amy up and dipping her over his arm as he pressed a soft kiss to her lips.

"I'm not letting you go, Amy; even if it takes another three years to move on…I will wait for you." He whispered softly as he broke their kiss.

"I'm not going anywhere, Sheldon. I love you." Amy reached up to stroke a hand across his jaw, he closed his eyes at the feel of her soft palm against his face, and turned his cheek to press another soft kiss against her palm.

"I love you, too." He whispered softly and there were loud whistles coming from their table.

"Hey Sheldon, speak up; we couldn't quite hear you from down here." Penny yelled up, cupping her hands around her mouth.

"He said he loved me, bestie." Amy yelled out in response and loud applause rang around the room, making Sheldon feel very nervous now that he was the centre of attention again.

"I think we'd better get off the stage now, we're attracting a lot of attention." Sheldon tugged Amy into the wings, and as soon as they were out of sight, he pulled her back into her arms again; relishing the feel of her against his body. "Don't draw away from me again, Amy. I don't think I could bear it…I was convinced you were trying to break up with me."

"Sheldon, no! I was just so focused on preparing for this competition that I let us slip away…I want to be with you Sheldon, in every way that counts; I was just afraid of showing you just how much I cared in case you got cold feet again." Amy confessed and found herself drawn even closer to Sheldon as he wrapped her even tighter in his arms.

"I've been a total ass…I was thinking the same thing about you…we really need to start communicating more, Amy."

"Mmm…I was thinking more along the lines of non-verbal communication…" Amy reached up to tug his head down to her level, so that she could press a string of soft kisses along his jaw.

"I like the way you think…" Sheldon murmured in response and tilted his head so that her next string of kisses met his mouth instead of his jaw. They were so lost in their rekindled affection that it took at tap on Sheldon's shoulder to make him separate from Amy's delectable lips.

"Buddy, didn't you hear? You scored the highest! Go on out and collect your prize." A stage technician nudged Sheldon out of his daze and pointed over to where the compare was smirking at them from mid stage.

"I've already got the only prize I came here tonight for…"Sheldon replied as he lost himself in Amy's emerald eyes. She wrinkled her nose up playfully at him as she tugged him out of the shadows and into the spotlight.

"Here he is folks! The winner of this year's open mic…The Doctor!" The compare led a rousing round of applause and handed Sheldon a shiny trophy. Sheldon passed it across to Amy who held it up triumphantly to their friends.

"Go Sheldon!" Penny yelled out from the table and Sheldon gave a shy grin in response. He gripped Amy's hand tightly in his own as the compare turned to address the audience again.

"It was a close competition tonight, folks, there were only a few votes in it…actually three…and I think we can guess where those last minute votes came in from…" The compare turned the spotlight onto Penny's table and everyone grinned. "The duo in second place…is, and no surprises here…Wolowitz and Fowler!" A stage hand came out of the wings and presented Amy with a large bouquet of flowers and Howard was ushered up to join her on stage where they were both presented with smaller versions of the trophy awarded to Sheldon. Howard was beaming from ear to ear as he reached around Sheldon to give Amy a gentle hug and patted Sheldon on the back.

"Easy there, Wolowitz; let's not get too hippy dippy."

"One more round of applause for our winners tonight! The Doctor and the runner's up, Wolowitz and Fowler! Maybe if we clap loud enough we might be able to persuade them to do a little encore performance? Come on, you can clap louder than that!" Sheldon looked alarmed at the thought of performing again and looked over at their table for help. Amy whispered something in his ear and he started to grin. He leant over to repeat what Amy had said to Howard and received a big thumbs up in response. Howard walked over to speak quietly with the stage technician who looked a little puzzled at the request but when the compare gave his agreement, shrugged his shoulders and got on with it.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, this is a little out of the ordinary…but hey, that's nothing new in this place! Mr. Wolowitz requests the company of table four up on stage please…"

"Holy crap on a cracker!" Exclaimed Penny loudly, and clapped her hand over her mouth as she realised she'd said it loud enough for everyone else to hear.

"Come along, Penny…It is only fair, you were the one that suggested this lame brain idea in the first place." Bernadette urged her to her feet. "And by the way, you owe me twenty dollars." The rest of the table shuffled toward the stage as a large keyboard was wheeled on, and Howard sat on the stool provided as Amy filled everyone in on what they had planned.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I present the Los Robles singers…accompanied by Wolowitz and Fowler!" Howard trilled out a few notes and started playing a jaunty melody as he leant into the microphone to speak.

"Hey guys, my name is Howard…"

"Hi, Howard!" Came a rousing shout from the audience, and Howard grinned as he continued to play the jazzy introduction.

"This is a little ditty that I wrote for my lovely wife, Bernadette on our wedding anniversary. In case you didn't know, she's the cute little blonde on the end…the one in glasses, not the other one…" Howard said with a wink and a cheeky smile. "It's called 'If I didn't have you' and I've brought a few friends up on stage to sing along…there's Leonard, Penny, Raj, Stuart, Bernadette and of course The Doctor and my musical partner, Amy… Feel free to join in once you've got the hang of it.."

_'If I didn't have you, life would be blue,_

_I'd be like Doctor Who without the Tardis_

_A candle without a wick_

_A Watson without a crick._

_I'd be one of my outfits without a Dick-ie._

_I'd be cheese without the mac…'_

Howard looked over to Leonard who stepped forward to the mic.

_'Jobs without the Wozniak,_

_I'd be solving exponential equations_

_That use bases not found on your calculator,_

_Making it much harder to crack…'_

Leonard passed the mic over to Raj who carried on the song without skipping a beat.

_'I'd be an atom without a bomb,_

_A dot without the com…'_

Howard leant forward and raised his singing voice over the others.

_'And I'd probably still live with my Mom."_

_'And he'd probably still live with his Mom._" Everyone chorused together, and the audience erupted in laughter. Amy sat down next to Howard at the keyboard and they nudged shoulders playfully as she picked up the next line.

_'Ever since I met you, you turned my world around._

_You supported all my dreams and all my hopes._

_You're like Uranium 235 and I'm Uranium 238,_

_Almost inseparable isotopes._

_I couldn't have imagined, how good my life would get…"_Amy looked over at Sheldon and winked as Howard leant into the mic, whilst staring across the stage at his lovely wife.

_'From the moment that I met you, Bernadette._' Sheldon cleared his throat a little and gently nudged Howard aside as he smoothly picked up the melody on the keyboard and stared over lovingly into Amy's eyes, hardly paying attention to his fingers playing the melody.

_'If I didn't have you, life would be dreary._

_I'd be string theory without any string._

_I'd be binary code without a one, Cathode ray tube without an electron gun_

_I'd be 'Firefly', 'Buffy', and 'Avengers' without Joss Whedon._

_I'd speak a lot more Klingon:_

Heghlu'meH QaQ jajvam…' Sheldon pointed over to Howard who shrugged.

_'And he'd definitely still live with his mom.'_ The whole room chorused together and Sheldon moved away from the keyboard to hug Amy close to his side as they all started swaying together on stage.

_'Ever since I met you, _

_You turned my world around. _

_You're my best friend and my lover. _

_We're like changing electric and magnetic fields:_

_You can't have one without the other. _

_I couldn't have imagined _

_How good my life would get, _

_From the moment that I met you, Bernadette.'_Howard looked over at his friends and nodded as they all joined in for one final time.

_'Oh, we couldn't have imagined_

_How good our lives would get, _

_From the moment that we met you, Bernadette'_

_'..and Amy' _sang Sheldon softly.

_'..and Penny' _added Leonard. Howard gave a smile and wave to the audience as he finished with a final trill on the keyboard.

"Thank you ladies and gentlemen…and Good night!" The spotlight flickered off and the stage went dark. Thunderous applause rang out through the bar and when the spotlight came back on, the stage was completely empty.

"Well, I guess that's it for another year folks…" The voice of the compare faded as the gang made their way out of the back entrance to the crowded parking lot.

"So, same time next week Amy?" Howard called over the roof of his car, Amy looked at Sheldon who gave her a shy little smile.

"Only if I get bring Cuddles along too…" She called out, and Howard raised his thumb in approval. Leonard looked back to see who Sheldon was riding back with and saw that he was already climbing into the passenger seat of Amy's car. As they headed out of the parking lot, he wasn't surprised when Amy's blinker turned left toward her apartment in Glendale rather than following the rest of them back to Los Robles…

**AN: Lyrics used in this fic were 'Leavin' On Your Mind', Patsy Cline; 'Baby, Don't Get Hooked On Me', Mac Davis and the wonderful 'If I Didn't Have You (Bernadette's song) from the wonderful writers at TBBT!**


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